The BBC already wilting under the Trump faked-misspeak brouhaha is facing another deluge of righteous criticism with the publication of Dianarama by Andy Webb, a former BBC TV reporter. Uncovering the truth about Martin Bashir’s tactics in persuading Princess Diana to speak out on Panorama in 1995 has taken decades. It triggered her divorce from Prince Charles, stoked her paranoia and left her isolated, propelling her towards the events which would ultimately kill her in Paris two years later. Webb describes it as, “a story more lurid, more fantastical, than anything that happened at the Tudor court of Henry VIII”. An estimated 200 million people worldwide watched the programme.
Twenty-five years later, the BBC commissioned an investigation by Lord Dyson which found that Bashir had won Diana’s trust through “deceitful behaviour”, having seriously breached the BBC’s editorial rules. His inquiry concluded that the BBC’s initial internal investigation in 1996 had been “woefully ineffective” and that the corporation had “covered up” any wrongdoing.
Bashir first approached Earl Spencer, providing forged bank statements which suggested an associate was spying on his sister. He also, the book claims, told Diana that Prince Edward had Aids and that Tiggy Legge-Bourke, William and Harry’s former nanny, had been having an affair with Charles, had aborted his baby and would marry him when the Queen abdicated in the near future.
Sir Richard Eyre, the theatre director who was a BBC governor at the time of the initial investigation in 1996, told the author that the board “would have insisted on a full-scale inquiry” had they not been kept in the dark about Bashir’s deceit.
For Prince William, the BBC cover-up meant that his mother went to her death without ever knowing the truth. “She was failed not just by a rogue reporter but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.”
Bashir, 19 January 1963 12.30pm London, has an ambitious Capricorn Sun in his 9th house of widescale communication with Mercury in Aquarius on his Midheaven. More notably he has two tricky T squares Saturn in his 10th (= transgressions will be punished) is in a hard-edged opposition to Mars in flamboyant Leo in a publicity-attracting square to a slippery Neptune and intense Moon in Scorpio in his 6th. There is a queasy feel about that one. Plus an overly confident, rules-don’t-apply-to-me Jupiter opposition Pluto in a square to a sugar sweet Venus. Using charm and duplicity to get his own way whatever it took.
His Jupiter falls in the BBC’s 10th house hinting that they saw him as a success bringer. Though his Saturn conjunct the BBC Mars, his Mars on the BBC IC and his Moon Neptune in Scorpio falling close to the BBC Mercury and Sun hints at a fractious interface with his Neptune working its smokescreening magic for a while.
His synastry with Diana was hardly inspiring with his Capricorn Sun conjunct her Saturn sparking off her feelings of guilt/unworthiness; with his Mars conjunct her Uranus for explosive revelations; and his Uranus conjunct her Mars Pluto in Virgo which would tap into her fears.
The Panorama was transmitted on 20 November 1995. If it was 8pm there was serendipitously the shiwpwrecking Scheat exactly conjunct the Midheaven and Procyon (wheel of fortune, rise and falls) on the Ascendant. There was a, intense and determined Scorpio Sun conjunct Pluto; with a wildly exuberant Jupiter Venus Mars in Sagittarius blocked by a square to Saturn in the legal/fair minded 9th. With a highly strung Uranus Neptune on the Descendant.
The over-the-top Jupiter Venus Mars fell in Diana’s 1st house as she attracted a stratospheric audience for an iconic interview; though Sun Pluto on the cusp of her 12th suggested behind-the-scenes-dirty-dealings.
As the Vatican and Richard Nixon’s Administration learned to their cost – it’s not only the original sin it’s also the cover up that does the damage.
Marjorie, is there anything in Prince William’s chart compared to the BBC’s that shows up how he may feel about the it and it’s future? And also how he feels about Bashir?
Thanks Marjorie. A very sorry tale indeed. And the BBC actually re-hired Bashir as ‘religious correspondent’ in 2016, he resigned on ‘health’ grounds in 2021. That alone does, unfortunately, typify quite a number of BBC cover-ups and stubborn unwillingness to investigate things properly. They’re like a bad husband or boyfriend who simply can’t say ‘sorry’!
The February 2026 Solar Eclipse at 28 Aquarius falls on Princess Diana’s fateful South Node. Currently, the transiting deep, dark Saturn/Pluto midpoint is there. The Lunar Eclipse, 12 writerly Virgo, at the beginning of March falls on Bashir’s natal Pluto. More to come? The current BBC Charter runs out in December 2027. Tr Saturn opposes the BBC Saturn that year, which sounds like a review time?
I have just look at the BBC’s natal Chart. By my quick calculation ( which can be out) their Saturn/Pluto midpoint is at 28 of Leo.
Thanks Helen. Very interesting. So the eclipse falls opposite? How does that affect things do you think?
It is even more powerful at this eclipse axis – Aquarius/Leo – at 28 degrees also opposes the BBC Saturn/Pluto, which conjuncts the Royal, Star Regulus. Saturn represents leadership and Pluto the underworld. Therefore both the children as Leo/5th house also representing birth will be involved. Apparently the fifth can also represent the first child – William? Who has considerable authority now, more so than when this lurid tale first emerged many years ago. Both boys could be reeling from the emergence of more hidden evidence or skulduggery? Perhaps it will really depend on their reaction, as they are Diana’s net akin? Interestingly Aquarius represents TV/with Leo drama and show business. Martin Bashir’s Mars/Pluto midpoint falls circa 27 degrees of Leo in his fourth house conjunct the Royal Star Regulus, which is representative of the Moon/Mother, a Royal and children. This eclipse may be when the boys give their verdict on the book?. Or a breaking story? Therefore, there could be an outrage, for a woman/mother who was treated in an underhand way ( Pluto) by a man ( Mars? Maybe even a TV show or programme about this book? As it could be extremely sensational.
All this makes Diana sound somewhat gullible, with a sense of grievance that was easily led by a bit of a grifter. Her Sun trine Neptune should have given her fairly deep intuitions about people and situations, although her Jupiter square Neptune could have made her too trusting.
She has that t-square of Aqua moon opposite Leo Uranus outletting through Scorpio Venus. That air moon didn’t have the instincts to know when she was being misled. And with the Uranus opposition she wanted to be edgy, so she’s primed to go for the unlikely story.
The faked bank documents and lies told to Diana and her brother, Earl Spencer, were probably a major influence in her decision to participate in Bashir’s Panorama interview ….. which had massive impact on following events. I look forward to reading this book to find out why nobody was held accountable for, what must have been, criminal behaviour. Oh, the irony of making him the BBC News Religious Affairs Correspondent!
Marjorie, are there any astrological parallels to the current BBC kerfuffles?
Thanks for this. Absolutely fascinating!
I forgot to add that the BBC’s Virgo North Node which should have kept them on the straight and narrow is being assaulted by the recent Solar Eclipse as well as tr Saturn in opposition.
The BBC’s NN is only 2˚ from my own. I’m not quite sure what to make of that! I’ve worked for the Beeb twice, in very different roles, and in both, was far from impressed by much of what I encountered there. Bashir was a particularly egregious example of truth twisting, but that, and this latest instance (Panorama/Newsnight and the Trump speech), is just the tip of the iceberg in my experience. Which makes me wonder what Auntie and I have in common viz that Virgo node. I notice too, the BBC’s Neptune on my Sun. Maybe that’s where the antipathy lies?
Correction. I was looking at the wrong chart. The BBC’s Neptune is nowhere near my Sun. That blows my little theory out of the water …